A New Love
by VincentValentine13
Summary: After the incident with Malchior, Raven isn't sure whether she could open her heart again. At least until one day....
1. Default Chapter

I don't own any of the characters, except Elrich. I don't own the poem(which is actually a song) that Raven uses in the poetry contest.

Raven had been here many times before; it was her favorite club. The dim candlelight and dark walls and tables gave the place an overall feeling of gloom and hopeless depression, just the way Raven liked it. There really was no light in her world. Her mother was dead, and her father was constantly trying to control her thoughts, filling them anger and hatred. It was all she could do to suppress them. The one ray of light were her friends. There was Starfire, the Tamaranian princess, though she was a bit too cheerful for Raven's liking. Cyborg, a teen with cybernetic implants, was loud and quite obnoxious. Beast Boy, however, took the cake when it came to obnoxious. He always bothered her and was always cracking jokes and trying to impress her. Of course, she always shot him down. Some of the things he said were truly funny, but the continuous threat of her father kept her from showing any true emotion.

Raven sat down at the table near the front, her usual seat. It was located in front of the stage, where attendants to the club could read off their own, depressing poetry. Currently their was no one up there, but the poetry contest was about to begin. She was an entry, and had been working on a special poem for the past two weeks. First, she really needed a drink of tea. It always helped to calm her. She approached the counter in the corner and ordered a cup of lemon and chamomile tea. This place was the only place in town that sold it, so she came here often. She returned to her table right before the contest started. The order of contestants was announced. Raven would go third. Each contestant went, each with a depressing poem about their unforgiven souls and eternal torment, the usual. But Raven's was different. Her's was about something beyond herself. Her's was about love.

They announcer called her name, and she approached the stage. She stepped up to the mike. Raven drew back the hood of her cloak, cleared her throat and recited her piece.

"You're giving me too many things lately. You're all I need. But you just smiled at me and said-"

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the building. Everyone fell to the ground, shaken by the sudden quake. Another explosion went off, this time knocking over chairs, tables, and glasses. The explosions were happening outside! Raven quickly placed on her hood and flew through the building and out the door. Across the street, a robbery at Julie's Jem Emporium was under way. The culprit was none other than The Great Mumbo, a magician who turned to a life of crime after his audiences died away. Using super powered stage magic, he was capable of pulling huge heists, and pulling things on the Titans as well. Raven knew how to deal with him, but would have preferred the entire team to be there with her. No time to get the others though, she thought to herself.

She reached the store just in time to see Mumbo trying to make an exit.

"Thank you, thank you, you're just too kind," Mumbo called to his literally captive audience.

"Sorry Mumbo, but the show isn't over yet," Raven replied as she picked up a nearby newspaper dispenser with her own magic. She hurled it at him, but he managed to duck just in time.

"Ah Raven," Mumbo called, "I was hoping the other Titan's would be here as well, so I could destroy you all together. Oh well. By the way, Raven I want you to meet my doves. You know what they say, 'birds of a feather flock together'," Mumbo cackled, as he lifted his top hat and released a flurry of red-eyed doves, all of which headed straight for Raven. She flew up, hoping to get some distance between herself and the mad birds, but the flock flew too fast to get away. Mumbo just stood on the ground, howling with glee. Raven flew down to ground and picked up two trashcans. She moved one in front of herself and the other behind her. The doves flew at her, and as they did, she brought up the first trash can, and all the birds slammed right into it. As soon as they did, Raven brought the other one around from behind her and put the two trashcans' openings together, trapping the doves inside. Raven grinned mischievously and flung the two cans right at Mumbo, knocking him off his feet and into an alley. Raven floated down the alley, and hovered in front of Mumbo. He stood up, looking terrified at her, then suddenly stood up straight and said politely, "Well done Raven, I take my hat off to you," and went to remove his top hat. Raven beat him to it, and with a quick word, she had the hat in hand. Mumbo seemed worried, but in a movement that Raven couldn't see, slipped a card out of his sleeve and threw it at her. It exploded, and thousands of colored scarves wrapped around her faster then she could react. They trapped her arms, legs and covered her mouth, so she couldn't speak a single spell.

"Now," Mumbo said triumphantly, "to make you disappear for good!"

He waved his wand, and Raven waited for whatever was in store for her. She closed her eyes tightly, and hoped it wouldn't hurt.

"Mumbo," Mumbo started, but then there was silence. Raven slowly opened one eye and turned her head upwards. What she saw took her completely off guard.

Mumbo was high in the air, hung off a fire escape by a thick vine that grew out of the ground at the foot of the building, through a large crack in the pavement. The vine that held him up gagged his mouth. He struggled to get down, but the vine was too strong.

"That should hold him," a voice from behind Raven said. Raven tried to turn and see, but the scarves made movement somewhat difficult. She heard someone walk up behind her, then felt a pair of hands untying the knot on her back. As the magic scarves fell away, Raven stood up, trying to get some feeling back in her legs. She turned around to see her rescuer, and received a huge shock. Standing there before her was probably the most handsome young man she had ever seen. His long, dark brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail that ran down to the middle of his back. His pants were loose, and made of dark brown leather, and he wore a forest green tunic. He looked to be about sixteen, with deep green eyes, and a handsome face. On his forehead was a thin, silver circlet with small emerald in the center. His ears came to point. On his back, though, was something that caught Raven's attention more than anything else. A pair of black, feathered wings. They shimmered slightly, like a real raven's wings would.

Their eyes met, and Raven felt the blood rush to her face. She was actually blushing! He spoke to her with a kind voice and a smile on his lips.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you."

"No problem, I happened to be going to a coffee place around here. I heard they were having a poetry contest, and I wanted to watch." His voice had a slight British accent. It sounded very charming to Raven.

"Actually," Raven replied, "I was in the contest, until I was interrupted. I can show you where the place is."

"Thank you," the young man said. He ran his fingers through his hair, and Raven thought she saw him blush a little.

As they walked together out of the alley and back to the café, Raven introduced herself.

"Well, nice to meet you. Raven….that's such a pretty name. I know! How about a pretty flower, for a pretty girl, with a pretty name? That was rather corny, wasn't it?"

"A little," Raven replied.

"I hope this will make up for it then."

And with that, he reached into one of many pouches on his belt. He took something out, then closed his hand around it tightly. As he opened it, he breathed into palm of his hand. He opened his hand fully to reveal a seed. As Raven watched, the seed suddenly spread out roots that wrapped around and intertwined with the stranger's fingers. A lone stem grew out of the seed, and at he end was a single bud. The bud opened to reveal a deep red rose. Each petal was perfectly shaped, and the fragrance was wonderful. There were no thorns though, and the stranger simply tugged on the stem and it came free.

He handed the flower to her, and she excepted it graciously. He smiled at her, then stepped back. He spread out his wings just as Raven looked up from the gift.

"Wait!" Raven called, "I don't even know your name!"

"My name is Elrich, and be sure to take good care of that flower. It's my best work. Just keep it in a vase full of water, and it will last forever."

And with that, he flapped his wings and flew off. Raven sighed heavily. She was hoping that he would listen to her poem. Oh well, she thought, letting her stoic, unemotional side take over again, I probably won't see him again anyway.

Several days later, Raven was in her room, trying to read, when there was a knock at her door. She opened it, and there stood Robin. Robin was the only person in the Titan's tower that seemed to understand her. He was the only one who knew that when she was in her room she wanted to be alone. He wouldn't bother her without a reason.

"Hey Raven, I was just wondering, you went out the other day by yourself, then came back and locked yourself in your room. Did something happen?" His question was reasonable, but Raven didn't feel he needed to know about her meeting.

"Nothing happened," she lied.

"Oh, well if you need to talk-"

"Tahnks," Raven interrupted, then shut the door. She heard Robin walk off down the hall. Then went back to her book. A large shadow flew by her window. Raven jumped, startled by the movement, then hurried over to the window to investigate. She looked around then looked down. At the base of the tower, large letters, formed by groups of Forget-Me-Nots. Raven's room was close enough to the ground for her to tell what they spelled out.

"The Roof" it said. Raven's heart started pounding. Could this be Elrich? Raven quickly flew through the tower, out the main entrance, and then all the way to the top. When she got there, she was greeted by a beautiful, yet strange sight. The entire top of Titan's Tower was covered in cherry trees. They were in bloom, and the pink petals blew off, and flowed through he air. Raven smiled, then gently floated into the grove that had somehow sprouted out of asphalt. She reached a clearing at the center of the tower roof, and there, standing before her, was Elrich.

He slowly turned around, and as he did, he spoke quietly.

"Quiet cherry blosoms blow

Fill the air with love and peace

Silence is the key."

Raven sighed again. He knew how to woo her, and he loved to read and write poetry. He was perfect. Perhaps too perfect.

Elrich approached her, then smiled and held out his hand. Raven placed her's in his, determined not to let herself become too interested in him. She still remembered what happened last time.

As soon as Raven placed her hand in his, he bowed gracefully.

"It is very good to see you again, fair Raven." His green eyes shimmered, and Raven felt like she was blushing again. She removed her hand from his, then decided it would be in her best interests to not let him know that she had feelings for him.

"What are you doing here?" Raven asked abruptly, not worrying about how it sounded.

"Well, after I met you, I did a little research. I found out that you were a part of the Teen Titans. I then realized that I have these powers, but I don't really use them for anything. But after the ordeal with Mumbo, I saw what I could with them. So, I want to become a Teen Titan."

Raven was a bit surprised, but she couldn't deny his abilities. Robin would have to see him in action though.


	2. A New Hope for an old Friend

I don't own any characters in the this fanfic chapter except Winnie and Elrich

Raven decided not tell Robin about her and Elrich's meeting on the top of the tower. Instead, she just told Elrich to wait until there was a crime, then to come help when he saw that Robin was there. Elrich tried asking why he couldn't just go now, but Raven insisted, saying that it was better this way. Elrich didn't argue, and as he left, Raven felt like this was the perfect way of getting rid of him, without hurting his feelings. It was a big city, Raven decided. What are the odds that he would be at the same crime as the Titans?

Later that day, Robin came into the tower with a visitor. "Hey guys," he called as he walked into the main area of the tower. Cyborg and Beast Boy were on the sofa, fighting over what they were going to watch; the history of tofu or equalizers. Starfire was attempting to paint her toenails, but kept giggling and ended up getting paint all over her toes instead. Raven, as usual, was by herself, reading. As Robin made his announcement, everyone looked up from what they were doing. A very interesting sight met their eyes. A boy with dark brown hair, and raven black, feathered wings. All of the Titans gathered around the newcomer, all except Raven. She sat silently on the couch, just looking on in disbelief. How could this happen?

After Robin explained how he and Elrich had stopped Control Freak from creating an army of evil video tape cartridges, the rest of the Titans greeted Elrich warmly.

"My name's Cyborg," Cyborg introduced himself.

"I'm Beast Boy, Master of All Animal Forms!" Beast Boy proclaimed, then struck a pose, his head back and his fists on his hips.

"More like, Master of All Dork Forms," Raven said, deflating Beast Boy once again.

"Please," Starfire said excitedly, "where did you come from, what is your favorite color, are these wings real, and will you be my friend," she asked, burying Elrich beneath a pile of questions.

"Uh…Velkinon, green, yes, and sure."

"Wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed, giving him a big hug.

"Little sunshine over there," Beast Boy said, hooking a thumb towards Raven, who had returned to her reading, "is-"

"Raven, yes, we already know each other. We met at a poetry reading the other day."

"Raven, why didn't you tell us," Robin asked.

"Does it matter," Raven retorted, standing up and closing her book.

"Yes, we have a recruit for the Teen Titans here."

"Really?" Elrich asked, his eyes open wide with surprise.

"But first," Beast Boy said, making his voice sound deep and serious, "you must answer this one question. What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Um..Read and study alchemy?" Elrich answered.

Robin eyes widened at this. So did Raven's. Beast Boy sadly said, "Great, Raven has a study buddy."

"Well, we better show you to a room," Robin said quickly, "Raven, why don't come too? We, uh, might need you to help unpack."

Raven knew what was up. She followed Robin and Elrich out of the main room as the other Titans went back to what they were doing.

When they had reached a spare room, Elrich went in and started to unpack his belongings, while Robin and Raven stayed outside and talked quietly.

"Robin, you know what alchemy is, right?" Raven asked, seeing a concerned look in Robin's eyes, a look of mixed hope and fear.

"Alchemy, that's where medicines and potions are made through magic and herbs, right?" Robin replied.

"Exactly, and if that's the case, and Elrich does study alchemy, then..maybe he could," Raven left the idea hanging. She was hinting to a friend, Terra, who not too long ago had defeated a evil man, Slade. But, she had accidentally started a volcanic reaction in the process, and sacrificed her body to stop the eruption. She was now petrified, standing in the place where she had saved the lives of thousands. Robin and Raven had been searching for a way to reverse the effect, but had thus far been unsuccessful. But now, with the entrance of someone who could possibly cure their dear friend, Raven and Robin had their hopes revived.

"We can't just ask him," Raven said, not wanting to have to rely on this guy for anything. Relying on him would require trust, and his seeming perfection was just too suspicious. Raven didn't like it.

Still, if he could help, it would mean Terra would be saved, so the good far out-weighed the bad at this point. Robin walked down the hall, back the main room. "We'll ask him later, after he settles in." Raven liked that idea.

As the two walked, Robin stopped suddenly and turned to Raven.

"There's something I don't understand Raven. If you knew this guy, why didn't you tell me? Is he why you locked yourself in your room? What happened?"

"Nothing important," Raven replied, moving on down, past Robin. As she walked, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Something's wrong Raven. You should talk it about it. Did he say something to you," Robin asked with a look of deep concern. Raven wanted to say what was wrong. She wanted to tell him her feelings, that the wounds of Malchior still lingered, but she just couldn't.

"It's nothing," she said again, and went off to her room. When she had gotten there, and closed the door, she went to her bed and quietly cried herself to sleep.

The next morning, Raven awoke early to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She looked over at her clock, which read six o' five. Suddenly, she smelled a delicious scent from outside her door. She walked over to the door and opened it. The hallway outside was dark, and Raven almost tripped over the small tea set outside her door. It was a small, silver tea cup and pot on a tray. Next to the cup was a sugar bowl and milk server. Raven picked up the tray, looked around for someone in the hall, then took it in her room. She sat it on th bed, then sat down next to it. She poured some of the tea from the pot into the cup, and sipped it lightly. Orange clove, she thought. She had never tasted it before, but could tell by the smell. She added some sugar and drank it all. It was sweet, and she poured herself another cup. As she drank the second one, she thought about Elrich, who was probably the one who left it there. Was he really so bad, Raven thought to herself. Yes, she answered. Then why are you drinking the tea he left you? There's no proof that he left this. Then who did?

Another knock on her door brought her out of her self-conversation. She blushed slightly, then went and opened the door. There stood Robin.

"I'm going to talk with Elrich now. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Yes, just a minute," Raven said, then grabbed her robe and put it on. The two of them went down the hall to Elrich's room. When they got there, they both took a deep breath. The fate of their friend could be decided by whether or not Elrich could help. If he couldn't, then all hope would be lost. Robin knocked.

"Come in!" Elrich called from inside. Robin opened the door, and he and Raven stepped inside. The strangest site met their eyes. The walls were covered in scrolls bearing indecipherable writings. Stacks of books were everywhere, along with potted plants and bottles filled with different liquids and powders. Elrich stood at the far end of the room, at a table that held books and chemistry pieces. He had an apron around his waist and a mask over his mouth. Raven and Robin stepped through the clutter, trying not to knock anything over.

"You two had better put these on," Elrich said, handing them masks like his, as the pair reached the table he was standing at. "I am about to mix two highly potent poisons, and the particles might get in the air." Robin and Raven quickly tied the masks on. Elrich uncorked a bottle filled with a brown powder, and poured it into a clear liquid that sat in a vial in front of him. As the two mixed, they turned a sickly orange color, then a light blue. Elrich then removed his mask, picked up the flask, and drank the whole thing down before Raven or Robin could react. He smiled at their horrified expressions.

"It's alright," he explained calmly, "I just mixed together a formula for curing a stomach ache."

"But you said that the components were poisonous!" Robin said, still in shock.

"I just said that to have a little fun. There isn't anything in any of these vials in this room that could kill you in the forms they're in. But that's not really important," Elrich said, his face growing more serious. "But what you need to talk to me about is I'm sure, else you wouldn't be here so early."

"We're sorry to ask you for something like this," Robin began, looking at Raven for support, "but, it's a matter we think only you can resolve."

Raven hated this. She didn't want his help, and yet she knew that they needed his help. "Could you please come with us?" Robin asked, "We need you to see something."

Raven didn't like the idea of bringing Elrich to see Terra. She was their friend. He didn't even know her. She walked behind Elrich and Robin, as the three made their way through the underground paths, to Terra's proverbial tomb. Robin explained the situation, though never saying what state Terra was in. This made Raven angry towards Robin. Couldn't he see that he was way too trusting of Elrich? Raven didn't see how everyone could accept him so easily. Maybe you're scared, Raven thought to herself. No, just cautious. Maybe, too cautious? No, he could turn, just like Malchior turned. She wouldn't be broken again.

The group entered into the cavern of Terra, and saw her, standing as she had been for the past two months. The Titans came down every week, and left a bouquet at her feet, taking the old one away. When they reached her still form, Elrich carefully approached. He examined her petrified skin, and ran his sensitive fingers along her hair. He stepped back, saying quietly, "Interesting, I've never heard or seen anything like this." At these words, both Raven and Robin felt their spirits breaking. Their friend was lost to them forever.

"This will require some research," Elrich said suddenly, giving them both a renewed hope. "You said this happened when she tried to stop a volcano, correct?"

"Yes," Raven answered. She could still see that day clearly in her memory.

"Have either of you read the Galleon Scrolls?" Elrich asked, still thinking.

Raven had, when she was studying with Malchior. Just the thought of her time with him, how she had let herself fall into his trap still stung her to think about it. "I have," she said.

"Good," Elrich replied, smiling slightly, "the scrolls were written in Velkinian, my native tongue. Having someone else who can read it will make research go by faster."

Raven realized what was happening, and knew that it would be selfish to resist though.

"I guess Beast Boy was right," Robin suddenly said, crossing his arms and chuckling slightly, "Raven does have a new study buddy."

Raven and Elrich sat in the Titan's main room, each with a pile of books next to them. They had started reading since early morning, even before breakfast, and had been going for a while.

"Have you found anything yet," Elrich asked, looking up from his book.

"No," Raven answered simply. They each were sitting on separate couches, and hadn't spoken to one another all morning. When Raven got up that morning, she came into the common room to find Elrich already hard at work, sifting through stacks of papers and scrolls. Raven sat down on another couch and watched. Elrich looked up, and jumped when he saw her. When he offered her a seat next to himself, she ignored him completely, grabbed on of the books in the pile, and then sat down on the other couch. Elrich hadn't said a thing to her since.

"Perhaps we should look in other volumes," he offered, "I can go back to room and grab some other texts."

"No," Raven said again, "I think I might-" but she was suddenly cut off by the emergency alarm.

Robin ran into the common room, shortly after followed by the other Titans. Robin turned to them all, after reading the info screen.

"Trouble on the south-side," he said, and lead the way out of the tower.

"Now you all shouldn't have," the southern accented girl said, as the Titans approached her. She stood in front of the South-Side bank, with three, large sacks of money in front of her. She held a delicate, pink lace parasol, had on a sun hat, and wore a light blue gown. In her other hand was a fancy lace fan. She stood there, fanning her face, and laughing haughtily.

"Who are you?" Beast Boy asked, looking at her dress, trying to figure out how she was able to pull a crime dressed like that.

"Is that any way to speak to a lady? If you must know, my name is Winnie D."

"What's the D stand for?" Cyborg asked, looking at the parasol, trying to figure out why a criminal would carry one.

"Day, silly," answered, almost flirtatiously.

"Please," Starfire began, looking at Winnie Day's curly, blonde hair "how did you get your hair to curl like that?"

All the Titan's look at Starfire, their eyes wide in shock. "What is wrong?" Starfire asked, genuinely confused.

"Now," Winnie started, "will one of you fine gentlemen help carry my loot, or will I have to force you to?"

Raven had had enough. "Allow me," she said coldly, and then began to cast a spell. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" She picked up the closest bag to Winnie, and threw it at her, hitting her squarely in the gut, and sending her flying backwards. Her parasol went twirling and spinning across the street, and her hat got caught in a tree planted as decoration in front of the bank. Winnie stood up, her face red.

"How dare you strike a lady! I'm going to have to teach you all proper respect, for a lady of my standing!"


End file.
